Railroad car filling device



Jan. 15, 1957 F. MQ ATKINSON AET AL Filed Sept. 9, 1954 RAILROAD CAR FILLING DEVICE Y mi am M #ffl/@Mfrs United States Patentl RAILROAD CAR FILLING DEVICE Fred M. Atkinson, David F. Mattson, and Albert Leigh Paulson, Minneapolis, assignors to Atkinson Bulk Transport Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application September 9, 1954, Serial No. 454,882

Claims. (Cl. 141-388) This invention relates to :apparatus for etnciently handling pulverulent materials. More particularly it relates to apparatus for filling large containers such as railroad cars and bins to substantially maximum capacity with pulverulent materials while the latter are in a fluidized state. I

This invention is related to the invention disclosed and claimed in application for United States Letters Patent entitled Method and Apparatus for Handling Pulverulent Materials, Serial Number 248,955 tiled by Fred M. Atkinson on September 29, 1951, Patent Number 2,694,496 and is designed for use in conjunction therewith and/ or with modications thereof utilizing the principles of uidized conveyance as described and claimed therein. This invention is designed to provide means for most electively filling railroad cars and the like to maximum capacity when used in combination with the combined uidizing and conveying mechanism disclosed and claimed in said application.

In the use of the apparatus disclosed in the application referred to above and, in fact, in the transportation of pulverulent material in bulk form by any means, it is important to ll the container such as the railroad car to maximum capacity in order -to reduce shipping costs. Thus it is important to find a means for completely lling the railroad car, for example, to the top with a minimum amount of effort. `For example, it is important to reduce -to `a minimum the number of points at which the material is to be introduced since unnecessary handling of the apparatus for introducing the pulverulent materials to the railroad car -is thereby avoided. With the equipment previously known for loading railroad cars with pulverulent materials in bulk form, it has heretofore been impossible, as a practical matter, to adequately ll the cars since much unused space would remain within the car after the car had been lled by well accepted methods. The use of the equipment disclosed and claimed in this application in cooperation with the equipment disclosed in the application referred to above reduces this Waste of space substantially. It is possible, of course', to mount a material delivery tube at lthe top of each railroad car and extending throughout the length thereof and having frequent openings along its length in order to effectively fill such a car, but this -type of structure requires an unnecessarily large amount yof materials and involves substantial cost since one such structure must be provided for each car. Our invention is designed `to overcome these disadvantages.

It is a general object of our invention to provide a novel and improved container-filling device for completely lling a container to substantially maximum capacity with pressurized uidized pulverulent material.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved container-iilling device for completely iilling a container to substantially maximum capacity with pressurized fluidized pulverulent material, the device being very simple and inexpensive in both construction and operation 'and filling the container to a greater degree ICC than has heretofore been practical with previously known equipment. i

Another object is to provide a novel and improved container-filling device, which when used together with apparatus for conveying such pulverulent materials under pressure, will till a railroad car with such materials to a greater degree than has heretofore been practical with previously known equipment while being applied toy only two openings of the car.

Another object is to provide a device of the type de-l tion will more fully appear from the following descrip-` tion made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of Ia typical railroad car showing one embodiment `of our invention in operation with the car more than one-half filled from a single inlet; f

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the same embodiment as is shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, with parts thereof shown in elevation and parts shown in section, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the vertical por-tion of the angle frame members being omitted.

One embodiment of our invention as shown in Figs. l-3 may include a cover member 5 which has a centrally disposed opening 6 formed therethrough. This cover member 5 is suiiiciently large in diameter to cover the conventional hatch opening 7 of a conventional railroad car 8. secured to the underside thereof and extending along the peripheral portions, the sealing member 9 being circular in shape and sufficiently large in diameter to completely surround the hatch opening 7 of the box car when the cover member is placed in closing position relative to l the hatch opening 7; As best shown in Fig. 3, the sealing member 9 is preferably formed of foam rubber and engages the hatch defining portions of the railroad car 8 so as to effectively preclude `the passage of air outwardly between the cover member 5 and the hatch opening defining portions of the car 8.

Mounted on the cover member 5 and extending upwardly through its opening 6 is a rigid spout or conduit member indicated generally as 10. This rigid spout has an upper end portion 11 which is externally threaded as best shown in Fig. 3. The upper end 11 is thereby adapted to be attached to the discharge conduit of a pulverulent material iiuidizing and conveying system such as is disclosed in the application, Serial Number 248,95 5 referred to hereinabove.

The rigid spout 10 has a lower end portion 12 extending below the cover member 5 and closely adjacent to the inner surface 8a of the top of the railroad car 8. As best shown in Fig. 3 this lower end portion is curved or bent to extend normally to the upper end portion 11 and parallel to the plane of the cover memberS. It has a discharge opening 13 which is directed substantially parallel to the plane of the cover member 5 and discharges the uidized pressurized pulverulent material substantially horizontally outwardly therefrom, This spout 10 is swing- The cover member 5 has 'a sealing member 9l emmelable or. rotatable4 about a substamially vertical. axis. desig: nated in Fig. 3 by the numeral 14. A pair of handle members 15 and 16 are secured to the upper end portion of the spout. 10s and extend outwardly therefrom: to'- facilistate the rotation of the spout 10 about the axis 14. These handlel members 15.- and` 16'A are aligned with: the' discharge portion: 121o the: spout- 10 aszis best shownv ini Pig;v 3;.

A circulan' metal guide ring 1.*7 encircles. the upper end portion. 11 of. the spout 10 in` loose: fitting relation: and". isA rigidlyl supported'. by a plurality of. support members suclr.

as 18,. the' lower ends 18a; of. whichn are secured to the upper surface of the cover member. l. Set screwsr19extend through this` gnide ring toesecure the-spout 1.0 in any desired; position; A circular sealing member' 20 in the form of. packing encircles the. spout 10.' at` thel upper surface of the cover member. 5 aud=v i'sl held in. snug. fitting airtight sealing. relationl around. the spout` by a metals ring ZL havinglanoi-setbase 2'1azsecured' to thecover member. by rivets' or bolts: or any other conventional manner as: shown.

Securedto the top of the cover member F' andi arranged to form. vagenerallyV triangularly shaped framework are three angle frame members 22, 23 and 2'4. These'frame: members` are made. ot angleironand are welded together at their' ends andi rigidly secured to the top of the cover member. A slot such as 25` is-formcd. at each: of the. corners of therframe-work to cooperate-with clamp members.

26x` normally providedon the railroadv car for securing the hatch cover thereto.

In use in the lling of a railroad car or a. binA having a similar inlet, the hatch cover isremoved andi the cover member S is applied' tothe hatch opening 7 of the railroad car with the sealing member 9 surrounding the same. The clamps1 26 are swung into the slots 25 andy tightened to secure the cover member tothe railroad car 8, the sealing member 9i thereupon preventing the escape of air in. any appreciable quantities. The discharge conduit of an apparatus such as isv disclosed and claimed in the application, Serial Number 248,955, is then threaded onto the upper end portion 11i of the spout 10 so that when the conveying apparatus disclosed and claimed in said application is operated, the iluidized pressurized pulverulent material will liow out of the spout 10- in a` substantially solid stream, the pulverulent material flowing much like the water which flows from a` tire hose without a` nozzle when connected to al lire hydrant. The fluidized pulverulent material will ow to all corners` of the railroad car and asit reaches a level approaching the topA of the car 8, it will' be forced intoV all corners and to the far sides of the car. The operator will rst direct the discharge end portion' 13 toward the adjacent end of' the car until that endl has been substantially completely filled to the top` and he may then swing it toward the more remote end or toward either side of the car to insure that the material fills the car completely at its outermost portions.

We have found that through the use of the device disclosed and claimed herein it is possible to tilll such a railroad car to a 5% to 20% greater capacity than has been possible as a practical lmatter with other equipment heretofore known. We have found that a railroad car can be completely filled by merely applying this device to two separate hatches, one adjacent each end of the railroad car, and that through such applicationv substantially all of the space within the car is utilized. Thus a far greater payload is made possible through the use of this device.

This device is particularly effective when used with conveying apparatus of the type claimed in the applicationfor patent, Serial Number 248,955, referred to hereinabove wherein pressures of 5- to 30 pounds are utilized with concentrations of 50 to 8O pounds of flour per pound of air travelling at velocities of 300" to 1500 feet per minnte at the point 'of entrance into the discharge conduit of the conveying system.

It will be. noted. that. our railroad. car. filling device is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and operation as compared to otherequipment for effectively filling such means of conveyance. It will be noted that it can be operated very easily by only one man since it is light in weight and can be: directed with a minimum of eort. It should also be noted that, a. single, loading device such as' is disclosed' and claimed' herein will suice for all railroad cars so that the structure need not be duplicated for each.` railroad car since it can be moved from hatch to. hatch.` In. addition,A it needsto be applied to the car at only two points and thus minimizes the attentionY and effort required in the operation of such equipment,

Thus it can be seenthat wehave: provided an extremely simple and relatively inexpensive device which will effect substantial savings in shipping costs and in the capital outlay required. forsuchacan loading. operations.`

It. will, of course, berunderstood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and pro,- portions of the variousparts without departing from the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

l. AI bulk-container-lling devicefor. filling a container having a material inlet to substantially maximumv capacitywith` pressurized tluidized pulverulent material, said device comprising, a seal.: memberl adapted to fit over andi seai thev material inlet of such a container, said seal member having a centrally disposed opening formed there through, and afrigid` spout mounted on: said seal member and extending throughsaid opening, said spout having an upper end adapted to` be connected toa source of uidized pulverulent' material under relatively highA pressures, and constituting a material inlet,` said spout having a lower end portion` extending substantially paralleli to theplane of said seal member and constituting a` discharge outlet for such uidized pulverulent material, said spout being, swingable* about an. axis extending substantially normal to said: lower end portion and said seal member to eect discharge of suchl uidized pulverulent. material. in all directions as desiredand thereby filllthe container to substantially maximum capacity.

2. A bulk railroad-car filling device for completely iillp ing a railroad. car having inlets. at the top thereof to. subf stantially maximum capacity with bulk pressurized iiuidized pulverulent material, said device comprising a sealing cover member adapted to litl over one of the inlets of such a railroad car in snug-litting relation to effectively seal the same, said cover'member having an opening formed: therethrough, and a rigid` spout extending through said* opening and having anl open upper end portion constituting a Illuidized materiali inlet and having a lower end portiony constituting a discharge outlet for such material, said upper end portion being adapted to be connected tol asource` of 'liuidized pulverulent material under relatively high pressures, said lower end` portion extending substantially normal to said' upper end portion and discharging such iluidized pulverulent material substantially horizontally within the car when said upper end is so connected, said spout being rotatable about an upright axis within the opening of said cover member to effect discharge of such lluidized` pulverulent ma terial inl all directions within the car and therebyy till the car to substantially maximum capacity.

3. A bulkcontainer-tilling device for completely tilling a container having a material inlet to substantially maximum capacity with pressurized tluidized pulverulent material, said device comprising `a tlat cover member adapted to tit over and close theA material inlet of such a container, sealing means extending along the peripheral portions of said cover and secured to the underside thereof and extending downwardly therefrom to effectively seal off the material inlet when said cover member is applied thereto, said' cover member having a centrally disposed opening formed therethrough,` and member to eiect the discharge of such iluidized pulverulentA material in all directions within the car as desired and thereby lill the container to substantially maximum capacity.

4. A bulk-container-lilling device for iilling a container having a material inlet to substantially maximum capacity with pressurized uidized pulverulent material, said device comprising a cover member adapted to lit over and eiectively close the material inlet of such a container, said cover member having a centrally disposed opening formed therethrough, a rigid spout mounted on said cover member and extending upwardly through said opening in substantially air-tight-flitting relation, said spout having a vertically extending upper end portion adapted to be connected to a source of iluidized pulverulent material under relatively high pressures and constituting a material inlet, said spout having a lower end portion extending parallel to the plane of said cover member and constituting a discharge outlet for such fluidized pulverulent material, saidspout being swingable about an axis normal to the plane of said cover member to effect discharge of such pulverulent material in all directions within the car as desired and thereby dill the container to substantially maximum capacity,

guide means vertically spaced from said cover member and supported thereby andv guiding said spout during its swinging movement, and means connected to the upper end portion of said spout and extending outwardly therefrom for facilitating the swinging of said spout about l said axis.

5. A bulk-container-rlling device for filling a container having a material inlet to substantially maximum capacity with pressurized lluidized pulverulent material, said device comprising a cover member adapted to iit over and close the material inlet of such a container, said cover member having a centrally disposed opening formed therethrough, a rigid spout mounted on said cover member and extending upwardly through said opening, said spout having an upper end adapted to be connected to a source of llluidized pulverulent material under relatively high pressures and constituting a material inlet, said spout having a lower end portion extending substantially parallel to the plane of said cover member and having a discharge outlet directed substantially parallel to said cover member and positioned closely adjacent thereto, said spout being swingable about an axis extending substantially normal to said cover member to effect discharge of such uidized pulverulent material in all directions within the car as desired to thereby till the container to substantially maximum capacity, sealing means connected to said cover member and surrounding said spout to eectively prevent the escape of air between said spout and said cover member, means for manually turning said spout about said axis, and circular guide means vertically spaced from said cover member and supported thereby, said guide means encircling the upper end portion of said spout and guiding the same during the swinging movement of said spout relative to said cover member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,500 Seery Nov. 13, 1883 963,583 Kennel July 5, 1910 1,708,176 Holly Apr. 9, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,438 Germany Nov. 23, 1923 

